Health care, “standing up to Trump” and gun control were the top three issues selected by voters, with 20 percent opting for “something else," according to the poll.

'SNAPSHOT IN TIME'

The Cobb campaign has sought to highlight the candidate's health care bonafides in recent weeks through a multi-pronged strategy of direct mail and television advertising paired with an emphasis on the issue in recent debate performances.

"We’ve long known that voters like Tedra Cobb," said Szustak in a statement. "They like her background and agree that the message she has delivered since last July is what the Democratic nominee should offer. The focus of the campaign has thus been to get her and her message in front of as many voters as possible, at events, in the field, and in the media.”

But any poll is a snapshot in time, said the campaign.

“What was true April 24 may not be true June 19, or June 26."

The poll comes at a time when Cobb has increasingly embraced frontrunner status, citing her fundraising prowess, volunteer operation and number of petition signatures as objective benchmarks.

“Tedra now leads in the polls, in addition to having raised the most money, having the most robust field program, being the only candidate to broadly air TV ads, and having delivered nearly double the petition signatures of her closest competitor,” said Szustak.

'SCARED AND DESPARATE'

The Nelson campaign was displeased at not being included, and wrote the poll off as invalid.

"It's an old poll, especially in terms of campaigns, it's ancient. It represents bad data, it's incomplete data," said Nelson campaign manager Thearse McCalmon. "We take it as a direct slight and an attack on our campaign.

"She's scared and she's desperate."

The use of bad data will not portend well for Democrats this November, she said.

"It shows disunity and is only setting us up to lose to Republicans. This hurts all of us."

Money is also not a criteria for success, McCalmon said, citing Boyajian's failure to gain traction despite being the top fundraiser.

"The real true blue campaigns are the grassroots," she said. "Those are the ones that the people are choosing."

Nelson has touted several straw polls at a string of candidate forums as a indicator of voter support.

'SEVERELY UNDERESTIMATED'

Wilson pointed out she has outraised Cobb in two consecutive quarters.

Each campaign reported raising approximately $70,000 between April and June in pre-primary reports to the Federal Communications Commission last week, but Wilson said she has raised an additional $10,000 since then.

“I’m burning the candle at both ends,” Wilson told The Sun. “I think I’m working harder than anyone else in the race. I was severely underestimated because no one thought I would raise money, but I learn fast, I’m quick on my feet, and I learn very quickly.”

Wilson said momentum is on her side.

“it’s been a total upward trajectory. The longer I do this, the better I get — and so does the rest of our team. I’m working with people willing to take risks," she said.

The candidate has also released two television ads and racked up national media exposure, including a lengthy profile in Vice on Monday detailing single mothers in politics.

“It goes to show this campaign this the kind that is catching the national eye,” Wilson said. “I think it just illustrates a unique moment."

“I will be casting my vote for Dylan Ratigan,” said Boone in a statement.

While she has she has “tremendous respect” for every candidate after spending with each on the campaign trail, Ratigan will be the “strongest and most effective voice for working people in our district," she said, citing his national profile, understanding of the issues and solutions for solving them.

"We have a broken political system that has resulted in rules for our economy that favor the super wealthy, big banks, and corporations that hurts working people," Boone said. "This fundamental injustice must be changed. A candidate like Dylan is uniquely capable of confronting this problem and beginning the process of building an America that works for all of us."

Boone noted St. Lawrence County labor leader Ernie LaBaff said Ratigan is the only Democratic candidate who can win in November.

“I agree that he has the best shot,” Boone said.

Ratigan will launch a 30-second radio ad on Wednesday, joining a direct mail piece that proclaims, “The only Democrat who can win in November.”

Former governor Eliot Spitzer has donated $2,700 to his campaign, the maximum amount allowable under the law, paving the way for a potential endorsement.

Martz has been engaged in a “digital first” strategy and traveled to Texas on Monday to tour detention sites which have generated international outrage for separating children from their parents as the Trump administration continues a “zero tolerance” crackdown.

Democratic committee chairs across the district have watched the contest from the sidelines.

Several have said there is no clear frontrunner, and each candidate has scattered bases of support across the sprawling district.

“From what I see in Warren County, I have no clear cut prediction on who would win this,” said Warren County Democratic Chairman Lynne Boecher earlier this month. “I would not be surprised if it went over June 26 if we don’t have a real winner. I think turnout is going to be a real problem."